From The Lantern
Ohio State’s status as a public university requires by law that its Board of Trustees hold meetings in a public forum. However, the Board frequently meets in executive sessions — closed-door meetings in which private matters such as legal challenges or staff discipline are kept off the public record.

In fact, The Dispatch reported in March 2017 that the Board met in this private forum in every meeting since 2011. And that still holds true today.

In last week’s meetings — running from Aug. 22 to Friday — The Lantern collected timing of both executive and public sessions and was provided official records by Ohio State. Executive sessions outlasted public meetings in four of nine committee meetings.

For example, the Board’s Quality and Professional Affairs Committee meeting on Aug. 22 was in executive session for one hour and 16 minutes. Its public session was 10 minutes.

The Wexner Medical Center committee’s executive session lasted two hours and 46 minutes. Its public session lasted one hour and 12 minutes.